You keep pointing that finger, Georgie

Preznit "I know you are but what am I?" is playing the blame game. Again. And as per usual, he is blissfully ignorant of any blots upon his own escutcheon, but, boy, he can sure find even the tiniest speck on someone else's:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 - President Bush issued an unusually stark warning to Democrats today about how to conduct the debate on Iraq as midterm elections approach, declaring that Americans know the difference "between honest critics" and those "who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil, or because of Israel, or because we misled the American people."

In a speech here to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mr. Bush appeared to be issuing a pre-emptive warning to critics at a time when Democrats are divided between those who say the United States should begin a troop withdrawal now and those who have criticized Mr. Bush but say the United States should stay in Iraq as long as necessary.

In some of his most combative language yet directed as his critics, Mr. Bush said Americans should insist on a debate "that brings credit to our democracy, not comfort to our adversaries."

Here's the red-meat section in full, from the White House transcript:

The American people know the difference between responsible and irresponsible debate when they see it. They know the difference between honest critics who question the way the war is being prosecuted and partisan critics who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil, or because of Israel, or because we misled the American people. And they know the difference between a loyal opposition that points out what is wrong, and defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right.

When our soldiers hear politicians in Washington question the mission they are risking their lives to accomplish, it hurts their morale. In a time of war, we have a responsibility to show that whatever our political differences at home, our nation is united and determined to prevail. And we have a responsibility to our men and women in uniform -- who deserve to know that once our politicians vote to send them into harm's way, our support will be with them in good days and in bad days -- and we will settle for nothing less than complete victory.

We also have an opportunity this year to show the Iraqi people what responsible debate in a democracy looks like. In a free society, there is only one check on political speech -- and that's the judgment of the people. So I ask all Americans to hold their elected leaders to account, and demand a debate that brings credit to our democracy -- not comfort to our adversaries.

So what I want to know is, when were you planning to leave office, King George? Because it's pretty clear from the polls that Americans are holding you to account. We're not buying your bullshit--on Iraq, or on anything else. If you want to talk about "irresponsible debate," you need seek no further than your own advisers to find it in plenty. Or your own press secretary spokes-hamster. Or your corporate masters.

There is no unity in America anymore--and you and the Republican Party are largely responsible for killing it off. You people have taken divide et impera to new heights (or should that be depths?), playing factions and interest groups off against one another at every possible opportunity--and creating opportunities where they weren't to be found on their own. You don't debate your opponents, you slime them. You engage in the politics of personal destruction as the default mode of operations and as if your vicious words had no more consequence than the sweet nothings you whisper in the ears of your latest business girl (or boy).

So you just keep pointing that finger at us, Mr. Bush. You're obviously too dim a bulb to notice that when you do so, there are three more pointing back in your direction--where the real blame for all the messes in Iraq and the controversies surrounding the war lies. You convict yourself out of your own mouth.

Comments

[Bryan]

I missed the obvious about his claim that "the American people know the difference" - And the survey says: the Shrubbery is a lying scoundrel.

[My grandmother watched Family Feud, a lot.]

[Michael]

So did I, Bryan--when I was a kid and didn't know any better ;-9